THE Department of Agriculture (DA) 7 urged farmers and raisers to immediately report abnormal cases of their poultry and livestock with the local agriculture units.
It is also important for farmers and livestock raisers to avail themselves of the free animal vaccination services offered by DA 7.
Dr. Raul Migriño of the DA 7 advised commercial and backyard poultry and livestock raisers to do these three things: monitor their animals, avail of the free vaccination for poultry and livestock offered by the agency, and provide feedback to authorities.
“We are coordinating with our local government counterparts. Crops need constant coordination with them. We also assist them in providing vaccines for poultry and ruminants. We have a subsidy and have free vaccines for them and rabies vaccines for the cats and dogs,” said Migriño, chief of the Regional Animal Diagnostic Laboratory.
With the onset of the rainy season, Migriño pointed out the need for poultry and livestock to be vaccinated to prevent them from any diseases.
On the recent outbreak of avian flu in Pampanga, Migriño said that the DA 7 has issued an advisory that it is “it’s okay to eat chicken because we are not affected here, but we have to prevent the disease from coming to our place.”
On the possibility of crops developing any disease, Regional Crop Protection Center Chief Jun Acabal said that farmers could approach their concerned barangay officials or agriculture technicians.
“We assess the problem but you have to go through technicians, we need to go through the processes for us to be able to help,” said Acabal. “This year, we are lucky because we have not had any problems (with our crops) yet, but we are monitoring it.” (TLN)